I'll Get There First, Potato
by DatAssRomano
Summary: ((Contains a lot of song lyrics)) Itacest or ItalyxRomano. Gakuen!AU Feliciano's last request to the brother he loved so very much; "Lovino...will you sing me one last song?"/Lovino's determined to get his brother's virginity before the potato does.((Starts off really dramatic but becomes more of a romantic comedy)) Anti!Gerita
1. Chapter 1

DARoma; Ah, Itacest. So catchy for some reason. So cute. I've always liked it, but when I read the fic 'Daylight' (it's based on that Maroon 5 song) by ShadowmoonxBlackfire it fired my obsession with this pairing. It's very different to this though. But good! If you have time, check it out!

England: Shouldn't you be promoting your own story first?

: Promotion was made in Korea!

England: Shut up!

: KIMCHI! YOUR BREASTS BELONG TO ME?

DARoma: *conspicuously buttons up shirt* Shutting up was clearly not made in Korea. Enjoy the story!

### ####

I didn't want to die listening only to the sound of my own voice.

"The blood's not stopping."

Good.

"...Gilly, Kiku, Lizzy, Roddy...I'll miss you...don't forget me, please."

I felt tears sting my eyes as the blood pooled onto my pale wrists and dripped onto the grass, similar to a leaking tap but more forceful. I heard a faint thump as the large knife I'd been holding fell to the ground from my numb fingers. The sunlight seemed to flicker, almost painfully as the sound of the forest was drowned out by my desperate breathing. The only image in my mind was one of a teenage boy; dark brown hair, tiny hints of red in the light, skinny, awkward, 'tsundere'. And those eyes. They were like shards of golden-green light, flashing in the sun and betraying any emotion their owner might feel. He couldn't really hide anything from me. But maybe that was just because I loved him.

I could almost hear him now...was he singing? I always loved it when he sung. Actually, I was the only one that'd heard him sing. It was unbelievably clear, and he could mimic any voice change with his own twist.

"-stupid idiot! What did you do?!"

It was weird. I must be losing a lot of blood, because the singing had stopped sometime during when I was thinking, and my blurry vision landed on a mirage of the very person I'd been thinking of. Almost unwillingly, my dry lips parted to speak one last sentence, one last request.

"...Lovino...

...will you sing me one last song?"

### ####

The first time I heard it was when he broke up with Bella, a girl who'd help bring Lovino out of his shell and become functional in society. I remembered them as children; it was clear to everyone he had a crush on her but he refused to admit it until Bella herself finally asked HIM out. I didn't know they'd broken up at the time; and I certainly didn't know the Belgian girl had cheated on him with his best friend and my very own friend, Antonio. All I knew was through the singing, I could actually feel his pain. And so I ended up sitting on the top of the stairs, near to my older sibling's room, listening to him sing his pain out. Nobody else was home, just me and Lovino.

"_I was fine right before I met her  
Never hurt and nothing could control me  
You know I tried but I can't regret her  
She's the first, ask anyone who knows me  
Terrified that she'd find my heart and break it  
Paralyzed by the thought of her with someone else_

I wish I would've known  
I shouldn't have fallen in love with her  
It's been nothing but trouble till now  
I shouldn't have fallen in love at all  
But I couldn't stop myself  
What gives you the right  
To tear up my life?  
How dare she be so perfect  
What did I do to deserve this? 

_How dare she be so perfect_

I haven't cried since the day she left me  
Cause that would mean that I admit it's over  
I tell myself that she's tryin' to test me  
She'd never leave, she still needs me to hold her  
Horrified cause she found my heart and broke it  
Mortified when I picture her with someone else

I wish I would've known  
I shouldn't have fallen in love with her  
It's been nothing but trouble till now  
I shouldn't have fallen in love at all  
But I couldn't stop myself  
What gives you the right  
To tear up my life?  
How dare she be so perfect  
What did I do to deserve this?  
I gotta let her go  
How dare she be so perfect

Tell me why  
You started the fire  
And played me like that

I shouldn't have fallen in love with her  
It's been nothing but trouble till now  
I shouldn't have fallen in love at all  
But I couldn't stop myself  
Who gives you the right  
To tear up my life?  
How dare she be so perfect  
What did I do to deserve this?  
How dare she be so perfect

Tell me why,  
You started the fire,  
And played me like that."

### ####

"Lovino, it's school time! Let's go!"

I chirped the words, hiding the fact I knew. My brother was sitting on his bed, staring blankly at the pictures of his friends who had trampled on his heart. "I don't want to go," he said quietly, not taking his eyes off the frozen pieces of time. Without thinking, I stepped into the unlit room, easily navigating my way to his still figure and sitting down beside him. I didn't say anything yet; unsure of what I should say.

"Why does it hurt so much?"

The question that slipped past his lips, I feel, wasn't intentional. But I was here, and I felt I had to reply; I had to try to help him understand his feelings. When it came to how he felt, Lovino was stubborn. He blocked out all emotions he believed he didn't need and moved on like that.

"You're hurting. But that's okay, it means you're still alive, right? Suffering makes you live."

Green eyes flickered to mine, only a touch of gold in them. "Proof...that I'm alive?"

"Si."

He laughed, but it sounded jagged, broken. Bitter. "It really sucks, being alive, doesn't it?"

I felt a small smile come to my face, although there was no humor in it.

"But all we can do is try, vee~"

### ####

Strangely enough, that one conversation seemed to make Lovino a little better. He broke ties with his old friends, preferring to stay by himself, except for days where I dragged him to sit with me. Him being older, most people found it strange that I was in charge. But Lovino just didn't have a lot of fight left in him, anyone could see that. I felt this invasive desire to protect him, never mind how weak I was myself.

Lovino managed to prove that, soon enough.

### ####

Lovino was fully aware I was gay; but he'd never met my boyfriend until I dragged him to our table one day, insisting he had to meet Ludwig. My muscly blonde nodded at him politely, and Kiku, our third wheel, introduced himself to Lovino and began talking to him. I was glad my brother seemed to be functional today- he was actually holding up his end of the conversation instead of staring blankly like he did normally. Kiku was so polite and delicate, though, it was hard not to. While they spoke I pressed my lips to Ludwig's cheek quickly, unsure of why I was feeling unsettled. Ice-blue eyes met my own and looked away again, something akin to worry in his face. I kept up the bubbly facade, sitting down next to my brother and sidling up to him. He didn't react, choosing instead to ignore me for the moment being.

Lovino then appeared at lunch every day, sitting beside us. Sometimes we'd be joined by Gilbert, Luddy's big brother who was in the same class as Lovino. They didn't really have a lot in common; but Gilbert wanted to start a band. Music was the one thing they could agree on, although sometimes they'd fight about it.

Then, one day, he stopped coming to lunch.

### ####

"Lovino...you weren't at lunch again today," I started as he rummaged through the cupboard for the wine. He did this often; funnily enough, he was just underage. Grandpa had a big stock of wine, but he usually kept it where Lovino couldn't get at it. We all knew both Grandpa and my brother had a bad drinking problem, but it was what made them happy, and I was fine with it.

"So?"

I was taken aback. "Lovino, I was just asking, I didn't-"

"You didn't what?"

He stood up straight (Grandpa had hidden the wine again before he'd gone travelling) and I took a sharp intake of breath as I saw the bruise on his face. His eyes looked dull again, with none of the life that had been returning to him. Immediately I was ready to find a sharp stick to stab the person that'd done this to him. "Lovino! What-"

"Don't."

"But, Lovi, I just-"

"No! Don't."

He stalked past me, but what he didn't realise was I heard him sniffle. I saw the shimmer of tears in his eyes. Something bad had happened.

I didn't realise how bad.


	2. Chapter 2

((Switching view to Lovi :D Thanks for reading! If you want to request a song then go ahead. Also, if my word predict changes 'fuck' to 'duck' please let me know))

### ####

He saved me.

Feliciano Vargas, my younger brother.

Never mind he acted as thick as a rock, dressed like a girl sometimes, and pestered the hell out of me about my singing.

My singing.

For some reason, the stupid idiot loved it when I sang.

"...Lovino...

Will you sing me one last song...?"

### ####

It was the worst day of my life. Never mind the day Bella cheated on me with my best friend, never mind all the times I'd been bullied and cowed, this took the cake. I couldn't even believe it. I mean, I'd just been sleeping on the rooftop like normal, I didn't expect this.

"So...the Vargas boy. He's rich, right?"

"Ja. And he does whatever I tell him to."

"My, my, that is good news~"

I felt my eyes widen in disbelief. This was...Feliciano's boyfriend! Lud...something. The big, blonde dude.

"Think you can get any money out of him yet, darling~?"

"No. Not yet."

"Maybe you'll have to work harder? I'm sure if you...I don't know, took something precious, he'd be happy to let you do whatever you want."

"...his virginity, you mean?"

"Yes, it's good to know we're on the same wavelength."

I slid down the wall that hid me from the two speaking, fists clenching in anger as I gritted my teeth. There was no way I could let them get away with this. Not my little brother. Anyone but him, I wouldn't have cared. But Feliciano...I couldn't stand by and let this happen to him. I stood up and turned, feeling my glare power up to the maximum before I stepped into view.

Only Wig-guy was there. Blue eyes studied me.

"...Lovino? Feliciano's brother, ja?"

I stalked up to him, never mind the height difference, and hissed at him. "Stay away from my brother or I'll fucking kill your ass to China." Before I had time to dodge, a fist like a sack of meat hit me square in the jaw. I saw stars before I was punched hard again, in near the same place. I was on my knees before I knew it. Before I could focus again, the burly German had me by the front of my shirt and was yanking me up again. "You will never speak of what you heard," he stated, contempt in his eyes.

"Fuck you."

Another punch. I could taste the bitter, metallic taste of my own blood as my lip split painfully. Still, through all the pain, I couldn't let him do this. "I'm not letting you defile my brother!" I spat at him, getting blood on his shirt. He barely batted an eyelid, backhanding me. I was holding onto consciousness by the skin of my teeth.

"...why don't you raise the stakes, Ludwig~?"

The other voice.

"...was?"

"Blackmail him, idiot. Like...if he keeps quiet, we won't...say...gang rape him and his cute little brother."

I froze. No. No. No. Feliciano was too fragile for all this shit; I was the troublemaker, I was the stronger one. Even though I knew it was a lie, I needed to believe it. I couldn't let them rape him; as much as it pained me, the lesser evil was just to give up and raise the white flag, so to speak.

"Do we have a deal, Lovino~?"

"Fucking- yes."

The German guy dropped me to the ground, where I stayed for the next hour, completely passed out. I eventually woke when a leaking pipe began dripping steaming water onto me. I groaned and stood, wobbling for a few long seconds before my balance returned to me. Then I rested my forehead on the cold wall, steadying my breathing and trying to think.

I couldn't do anything.

So weak.

### ####

The days after that, I completely avoided the 'Axis Trio', namely my brother, the potato, and the car salesman. Gilbert, the German's older brother, continued to seek me out when he had the chance and struck up a conversation. I had no fucking idea why he was so interested in me; I had even less of an idea why he kept going on about 'awesome'.

### ####

"Lovino...you weren't at lunch again today," I heard Feliciano murmur as he watched me stick my head in the cupboard. Damn old man had hidden the fucking wine again. Stupid bastard. I replied to Feli bluntly, all my barriers up. One wrong move, and I could screw him up for life.

"So?"

"Lovino, I was just asking, I didn't-"

"You didn't what?" My words were snappish, a hint of annoyance in them.

Good.

"Lovino! What-"

"Don't."

"But, Lovi, I just-"

"No! Don't."

And after all that, I still couldn't find the wine.

Fuck it all.

### ####

I shut myself in my room more often after that. I knew I was neglecting Feli- he was quite delicate and got upset easily- but I just couldn't deal with all the guilt and frustration. Not to mention I felt like vomiting whenever I saw him and the potato-muncher together. It just disgusted me.

"_Salute the army of hell's hounds  
Salute the reasons why  
My conscience it wakes me  
With fire inside I'll never get out  
Ill never make my stand..._

And we lie  
Awake  
I'm not about to listen to them

For I  
Can't wait  
It's not about me

Stare down the longest line  
Of course this is falling apart  
You fooled me like a rat trap baited  
But I refuse to buy  
I'm shell shocked and I've lost my sight  
But I can still hear you calling me...

And we lie  
Awake  
I'm not about to listen to them

For I  
Can't wait  
I'm not about to listen to

I'm on a highway that leads to the end,  
I'm on a highway that leads to the end,  
I'm on a highway that leads to the end,  
I'm on a highway that leads to the end,

These broken bones  
This busted smile  
My head it hurts I should be leaving now  
I hear your words  
They call my name  
I won't go back, you must be out of your head

You say I'm wrong  
You say I'm mad  
If I stay here I'll never make it back  
I hear your words  
They call my name  
I won't go back  
You must be out of your head  
You must be out of your head…"

I didn't notice Feli sitting next to me until I'd finished the last word of the song. He laced his fingers around mine and leaned against me. From this angle, I couldn't see his face, neither could I wriggle away without pushing him off. Soft, reddish-brown hair, the colour of autumn, tickled my chin as my brother giggled.

"I love it when you sing, Lovi~ It's so pretty."

"You're delusional."

"I told Gilly about your pretty singing, and he said he was starting a band~"

That was random. "Who's in the band?"

"Just Gilly, at the moment. He has trouble making friends, but he really likes guitar. I went to Luddy's house once, and I heard him playing. It sounded really good!"

I scowled at the mention of the bastard who'd ruin our lives. Feliciano smelt sweet; it was a nice aroma, and it suited him. So nice that I relaxed into the strange hug we'd found ourselves in. This was so nice, so nice.

Then a thought hit me like a bullet.

The Germy faggot just wanted Feli's virginity and his money, right?

...I could take both of them from under his nose.

"Feli?"

He shifted away so he could look up at me, the honey-golden colour of his eyes catching the light. "Si, fratello, what is it?" I looked him down. He was so pretty, so delicate; like something from another world that had just happened to appear in my secret garden for a few hours. I took in a small breath, steeling myself. I had to do this. Just one little step today...

"Wanna make some pasta together?"

The smile on his face was worth a million dollars. No, it was priceless. He looked so unbelievably happy from this simple suggestion it had my own heart fluttering a little bit. He bounced up from my lap. "Si! Grazie, fratello!"

"You don't have to be so damn happy about it."

"But I am happy! Fratello wants to spend time with me!"

And that was how the plan to steal my brother's virginity began.


	3. Chapter 3

# Sing Me To Sleep 03(Itacest) #

Note: I have nothing against pop music. But it's too mainstream. PUNK ROCK FOR LIFE! PANIC AT THE DISCO! XD

Also, about their ages, Romano and Prussia are about 18 or 19, and the Axis are 16. Thereabouts.

### ####

Somehow, avoiding the potato turned into hanging out with the potato's brother. To be fair, Gilbert was just into the music I was into; which was hard to find these days when you didn't listen to that pop bullshit. I think that was why he was so stuck on trying to befriend me. Especially during the classes we had together.

"How do you feel about Rise Against?" the albino questioned.

"Fuck yes."

"Satellite?"

"Best damn song they ever made."

Gilbert grinned at me in that moment, and despite all the shit going on in my life, somehow I ended up smiling back. He was persistent, I'd give him that. "Hey, bastard...Feli said you were starting a band," I said cautiously, not sure how this would go. I needed a way to make Feli think I was getting better, so he'd be more relaxed, easier to manipulate, as bad as it sounded. The albino grinned. "He told you?"

"Si. He also told me it's a band of one."

"Hey! I can find people who'll play with me!"

"Yeah, right, bastard. People are just milling around to join."

"Actually..."

I raised an eyebrow as he looked up at me, his look something like a kicked puppy. "Lovino, if you joined, that'd be awesome. Please?"

"...I can't play anything."

"Can you sing?"

I paused at the question. Our father used to hit me when I sung; apparently because I sounded too much like a guy. He liked Feli better than me because my brother used to look- and sound- just like a girl, even had him wearing dresses. Therefore, I used to sing in secret. Could I do it in public again? Without totally freaking out, that is.

"Please, Lovino?"

I looked to the side, noticing my brother walking past with the potato muncher, seemingly hugging his arm to death. He looked happy- and it broke my heart. But I'd be stopping that soon, so I had a right to a social life in the meantime.

"...why not?"

"Aw, yes! Lovino, you're awesome!"

"Mm," I replied distractedly, formulating the plan for when I got home.

### ####

((And now we go back to Feliciano, because I couldn't think of anything else I could say from Lovi's point of view))

"I hope fratello's feeling alright. He never sits with us anymore, but he's really nice when we're at home," I explained to Luddy. For a second I saw a strange expression cross his face- it was unnerving- and then he blinked and it was gone in time for him to reply in a brusque tone. "Maybe he doesn't like me."

I sighed. "Maybe, vee~"

"Maybe Lovino-san is just shy," Kiku offered.

I smiled faintly at him, knowing my brother wouldn't like that I was telling people his secrets. "Lovino has a social disorder. It makes him very nervous, but I thought he was okay if it was just us. He seemed happy to hang out with us before...it was like something bad happened."

Ludwig's expression twitched.

### ####

Lovino was fiddling with the sound system of his car when I hopped in the passenger seat. "Lovino, you have a CD!" I chirped, secretly excited. Lovino never bought CDs, because if he did he'd put them in the car, and then he'd undoubtedly end up singing along to it. And if our father was in the car...

"Gilbert gave it to me. Told me to sing along to every song on the damn thing until I knew them by memory."

"Vee~ Really? So you agreed to join his band? Yay~"

"Don't get too excited. I haven't fully agreed to it yet."

Even so, I could see that he was secretly excited about it. I wriggled in my seat, happy for him. Gil and Lovino were going to be friends! It was wonderful! Lovino rolled his eyes at my expression and started up the car. "Can we go shopping today, Lovino?" I asked.

"Not today."

"Vee~ Tomorrow?"

"Fine."

"Yay~!" Tomorrow was Saturday, so normally Lovino would stay at home, reading or something along that line. Rarely did he leave the house on weekends anymore. I felt elated that he'd be willing to spend time with me. I could invite Kiku, and Gilly, and Luddy and we could all go and be happy. This was, strangely enough, all I wanted from life. The happiness of my friends.

Lovino sung along to the CD on the way home.

"_It's getting late, and I,  
Cannot seem to find my way home tonight  
Feels like I am falling down a rabbit hole  
Falling for forever, wonderfully wandering alone  
What would my head be like  
If not for my shoulders  
Or without your smile  
May it follow you forever  
May it never leave you  
To sleep in the stone,  
May we stay lost on our way home_

C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me  
I'd like to believe in all the possibilities

If I should die tonight  
May I first just say I'm sorry  
For I, never felt like anybody  
I am a man of many hats although I  
Never mastered anything  
When I am ten feet tall  
I've never felt much smaller, since the fall  
Nobody seems to know my name  
So don't leave me to sleep all alone  
May we stay lost on our way home?

C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me  
I'd like to believe in all the possibilities

C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me  
I'd like to believe in all the possibilities

Try not to mistake what you have with what you hate

It could leave, it could leave, come the morning

Celebrate the night  
It's the fall before the climb

Shall we sing, shall we sing, 'til the morning

If I fall forward, you fall flat

And if the sun should lift me up  
Would you come back? C'mon!

C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me  
I'd like to believe in all the possibilities

C'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me  
I'd like to believe in all the possibilities

So c'mon, c'mon, with everything falling down around me  
I'd like to believe in all the possibilities

It's getting late and I, cannot seem to find my way home tonight. "

### ####

"...Feli, you ready...?"

I turned immediately towards my brother's slightly embarrassed-sounding voice and immediately felt a weird feeling bubble up from my stomach. Lovino was just visible in the doorway, a blush spread across his cheeks and eyes on the carpet. He looked so vulnerable, so defenceless that I could feel a stirring in my body.

"U-uh, si, just a minute!"

I swiped my phone off of the bedside table and followed him out to the car. Lovino was our designated driver; being the only one besides Gilly who had actually learnt how to drive. "Stop at Kiku's," I instructed cheerfully, trying desperately to ignore the fluttery feeling in my lower stomach. Lovino grunted and turned the corner, obediently heading towards Kiku's house. When we got there, Kiku was waiting outside.

"Hello Feli-chan, Lovino-san," he greeted.

"Kiku, you're so prepared!" I chirped.

"Hey," Lovino muttered.

He'd stopped singing when we got to Kiku's, but that was okay, because I heard him singing nearly every week, although only when I pretended I couldn't hear him. That was the only way I could hear more of the heartbreakingly hopeful voice calling to the heavens.

"Gilly! Luddy!" I reached my arms out to the older German, and he swung me around in a hug, a laugh escaping him. I chatted to him for a few seconds before trotting over to Ludwig and pecking him on the cheek. "Grazie for coming!" Ludwig stonily looked down at me, but I could tell he was embarrassed by my show of emotion in public. Lovi was the same.

Speaking of...

I turned to look at my brother and saw him standing next to the car where I'd left him, face white as a surrender flag. What was strange was he was looking at Ludwig. "Lovi?" I queried. He shook his head and glared at me. "I didn't realise we were hosting a damn party," he grumbled. I wrote it off as grumpiness and skipped ahead, looking for interesting shops to go in.

As I looked back, I noticed Gilly and Lovino, standing together and chatting, Gilbert holding up the conversation, obviously sensing Lovi's nervousness. I smiled gently. Maybe they'd be good friends, that'd be nice!

Maybe they'd be more.

I felt the smile drop from my face as Kiku caught up to me, talking about something. I wasn't listening anymore, though, as I continued to think about this development. If Gilbert and Lovi started dating, Luddy and I would have a couple to go double dating with. It'd be fun, seeing Gilbert make Lovi blush and watching them be happy.

...why did the very idea of them getting together make me so sad then?


	4. Chapter 4

((Switching to Lovino))

### ####

"Are you serious?"

My incredulous voice was ignored as Kiku and Feli pranced into the cosplay store. Gilbert snickered as he followed them, making perverted remarks about 'vital regions'. The potato-eater looked disapproving, but anyone could tell he was just thinking of my brother in a skimpy dress. Maid outfits, sexy lingerie, whatever your garden-variety style pervert could want and need in one damn rainbow-coloured store. In other words, it was my worst nightmare.

"Lovino, Lovino, you have to see this!"

I wandered over to where I'd been called. "What?" I said in a disgruntled tone. Feliciano smiled at me, the cute expression far from what I could think was on my own face. It was a wonder we were related.

That was when he held up the maid outfit.

"Lovino, wouldn't it look cute? It's all frilly!" I rolled my eyes. "No, it wouldn't. Put it back." He pouted, causing me to scowl back. No. He was damn pathetic enough without a fucking MAID OUTFIT. "Goddamnit, Feli, put it down, please?" He shook his head. "Per favor? I'll buy you ice-cream?" A small, dark smirk crossed his face finally, and he looked up at me.

"I won't wear it...if you put it on instead."

### ####

"How the hell did I get myself into this?!"

I slumped against the door of the changing room, sighing heavily. I had no idea how they'd managed to get me to agree to this. And I just knew Kiku was standing out there, with his goddamn camera. And the potato. How could I let the fucking POTATO see me like this?! This was terrible! My eyes trailed down the snow-white apron, to the insanely short skirt, to the high socks. "Fuck my life," I groaned.

Funnily enough, the outfit was my EXACT size. What the crapola was going on here?! I yanked off my shirt, peeling off my skinny jeans on the way. Left in my green boxers, my vision trailed back to the wall mirror. The first thing I saw was my golden-green eyes, and I was entranced by the flames burning in the colour. Something about my eyes just made me look...alive. Then I ended up looking at the damn hair curl sticking out of my hair. I'd tried to stick it down a million times, but Feli had convinced me to keep it because, for unknown reasons, he had one too, on the other side.

I touched the cloth tenatively, running a finger down it. It was in a French maid style, black and white, with frills but still managing to look a little elegant. Thankfully, the usual maid shoes had been replaced with comfortable-looking knee-high lace-up boots. I smiled faintly before I pulled at the zipper, sighing in resignation as I began the long process of putting it on.

### ####

However, there was just one problem to this idea.

"Uh..." I poked my head out nervously, my eyes lighting on my brother who was looking at something. I yanked the back of his shirt, feeling a blush spread across my face. "Vee~ Did you get changed?" he asked, looking excited. I shook my head roughly.

"I can't get the damn straps to click together!"

I pulled him in the small space, locking the door as soon as his ass was in. He blinked up at me. "...straps...?" came the confused voice. I groaned. "Per favor, Feli. I can't stay in the goddamn change room forever, and I don't want to, anyway!" He blinked at me again, a faint blush dusting his cute features. "Turn around then, Lovino," he said in a weird voice. It sounded strained slightly.

### ####

((Switch again to Feli- and his boner? XD I love saying boner I'm sorry))

That outfit.

I don't normally swear, but...

Damn, did that look good on him.

Although he hadn't managed to do up the straps, it was mind-blowing how good he looked when he was disheveled. One puffy sleeve was hanging off of his shoulder, exposing a faintly tanned collarbone. I took in a breath, those strange feelings swirling around again. An embarrassed blush was spread across his face, and I felt my heart melt in a puddle. "Per favor, Feli," he said, his voice gaining a whiny tone. I smiled softly, hiding my mess of emotions swiftly.

"Turn around, then."

My hands touched the soft cloth, and I ran a finger down the unmarked skin of my brother's back without thinking. He shivered slightly. "F-feli, what're you-"

"Nothing, Lovino, nothing at all."

A single finger turned into three, brushing down his delicate shoulderblades, along his spine. There was something so warm, so alive, that it was entrancing. Like he was a creature from a different world, an entity no one had any power over. He was beautiful, and almost unreachable to anyone.

Except me.

The younger, lighter one. Did I have that right? I was his younger brother- was I as unearthly? I didn't think I did, at least not in the same way Lovino shone. We were just so contrasting in personality that it just wasn't the same. Right?

I snapped out of my reverie and quickly snapped it together with a few quick flicks of my wrist. "Done," I said, my voice barely a whisper.

"It's about damn time."

He shifted under my hands, the warm skin almost addictive as I forced myself away. "It looks good," I said faintly, reaching for the lock on the changing room doors. Lovino stopped me, a panicked look on his face. "Don't make me," he said in a pleading voice.

I sighed.

"Just for today, okay? You have to get over it eventually."

He looked down. "Okay, just...not today." Lovino covered up his relieved expression with a scowl, which was kind of cute for him. I smiled. "Vee~ Then it will be our little secret, Lovino," I chirped, hiding behind my usual facade. He nodded vigorously.

### ####

Truthfully, I didn't want anyone else to see him in such a seductive state anyway. No one should be able to see that sight except for me, hissed a voice in my head. Especially Gilbert.

Gilbert.

I looked back at them. Once Lovino had changed out of the outfit he'd barely spoken to me for the rest of my trip. Although I could understand her was embarrassed, I still felt unsettled by their newfound friendship.


	5. Chapter 5

I just don't know where I'm going with this. I guess I'll find out eventually; but my writing strategy seems to be just scribbling everything down.

Oh, and my theory behind the whole 'potato' namecalling thing is that poor old Romano just can't remember Germany's name, and he's too childish to ask, and he just really doesn't care.

### ####

"Vee~ I don't understand why I feel worried when I see Lovi and Gilly together," I said to Lizzy one sunny day during a science class we learned together. The brunette woman smiled at me brightly after she'd thought about it for a few seconds.

"Maybe you're worried Lovino will spend less time with you if he has a friend?"

"...do you think so?"

"I can't answer that for you, Feli. Ask your heart!"

...ask my heart? What did she mean by that? My heart...I looked down at my hands, pale as porcelain, delicate. Assumingly my heart was the same, so fragile, so easy to simply crush beyond belief at the slightest mishap with something that could potentially cause harm. What could the heart want that the head did not know?

I blinked at her as she stood up and lifted her bag, fixing her skirt a bit. "I'm going to go hear Roderich play. Would you like to come?" I shook my head. "I have to go find Luddy. I haven't had a hug today!" Elizabeta smiled at me, that look on her face when she gets an idea.

"Tell you what, I'll talk to Lovino and see if I can figure out what's going on."

"Okay!"

### ####

((Switch to Lovino))

When I could leave without the teacher getting pissy at me, I snuck out with the lunch bell ringing in my ears. I trotted down the cement steps, making my way down to the music room, the easiest place to sleep in. The only guy that ever showed was some Austrian guy; and he didn't seem to care whether I was there or not. All he really cared about was the damn piano he kept playing.

I smirked as I slipped into the unlocked room, liking the feel of the warm sunlight on my skin. The bastard wasn't here yet, so I could try to piss him off some more. My gaze ran over the smooth black surface of the piano, smiling at the impeccable surface. Dude was fucking insane when it came to the piano, and the weirdest thing was that he didn't even own the damn thing. I ran a finger along it cautiously.

Not a speck of dust.

I felt irritated by it for a split second and tipped the vase filled with flowers off of the piano's surface. With a sigh, I lifted myself up and stretched out languidly on the piano. Despite it being quite a hard surface, it was quite comfortable due to the warmth radiating from it. "Mm...'s nice," I heard myself mumble sleepily as I closed my eyes, enjoying the sun as I drifted off.

### ####

"...excuse me? Lovino?"

I cracked one eye open, ready to kill the shit out of whoever had decided it was a goddamn brilliant idea to wake me up. I was faintly surprised I had been awoken; even if I slept on the piano the dude still didn't care, he'd just wait until I woke up patiently. That wasn't the guy's voice; it almost sounded like a chick. I sat up, nearly bumping heads with the dressy-looking brunette as she beamed at me.

"Lovino! You woke up!"

I scowled. "Who the hell are you, and what the flying fuck do you want?" She seemed unaffected by my grumpiness. But she woke me up when I was having a goddamn nap! If she wasn't such a pretty lady, I'd be swatting her into oblivion. But I tried not to hit girls if I could help it. She giggled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"So you are Lovino! You look just like your little brother! So cute!"

My mood plummeted even more. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Even the little hair curl! It'd be even cuter if you were twins, like those two American boys!"

"I have no fucking idea what you're talking about."

She grinned and leaned on the piano, her face far, far too close to mine to be comfortable. I was tempted to just stalk away but that would involve moving, which I was not a fan of during sleepy lunchtimes like these. Her eyes were a light, fiery shade of green, like my own, but without the ambery colour to it.

"So...tell me, how do you feel about little Feli?"

I felt flames across my cheeks as I started to blurt out a denial, simultaneously glaring at her as hard as I could. Unfortunately for me, my mouth seemed to have gone on holidays with my brain, because all I could get out was broken, unfinished sentences. "I-I don't know what you're talking about," I finally managed to choke out. God knows what she would say about my plan to steal my brother's virginity before the potato asshole.

The bitch smirked. "I see. Well, think about it before you make an action. He does have a boyfriend, after all."

"I didn't even say anything!" I argued. She just smirked at me.

That was when the Austrian guy wandered in. His violet eyes travelled slowly over me, face flushed and laying on the piano, to the woman with a look that reminded me of a wolf that had found dinner.

"Elizabeta. You came to see me play?"

"Yes, Roddy, of course I did! I've been trying to teach you to play something new, after all!"

"Like what?"

"I haven't decided!"

'Roderich' (what a stupid name) paused for a second, and then smiled faintly. "Why don't you just name a song and I will try to play it?" I looked them over as Elizabeta glanced to me, and then Roderich.

"Why doesn't Lovino pick something today?"

My eyes widened. "Che cosa? Why do I have to pick what song he plays? He wouldn't know any of my music with his classical bullshit," I denied. Roderich smiled faintly at me, some semblance of politeness on his face as he stepped closer. "Give me your iPod," was all he said. I wordlessly handed over the worthless thing, and he fiddled with it for a few seconds before he looked up at me with a smirk.

"I quite like The Fray, Lovino."

"The Fray? Are they a band?"

Roderich sat down at the piano bench, and deep violet eyes looked up at me patiently. "Would you like to sit beside me? I assume you know the words, so I'd like for you to sing the lyrics as I play." I stared stunned, as Elizabeta somehow pushed me onto the seat next to him and sat on a nearby chair to watch.

"Ready?" Roderich asked.

I sighed. "As I'll ever be, bastard."

He wasn't half bad at this crap, even if it was just the Fray. The strange thing was, once the bastard began playing, I really did have the compulsion to sing. Well, just so he didn't fuck it up, of course.

"_I found God  
On the corner of First and Amistad  
Where the west  
Was all but won  
All alone  
Smoking his last cigarette  
I said, "Where you been?"  
He said, "Ask anything"._

Where were you  
When everything was falling apart?  
All my days  
Were spent by the telephone  
That never rang  
And all I needed was a call  
That never came  
To the corner of First and Amistad

Lost and insecure  
You found me, you found me  
Lyin' on the floor  
Surrounded, surrounded  
Why'd you have to wait?  
Where were you? Where were you?  
Just a little late  
You found me, you found me

In the end  
Everyone ends up alone  
Losing her  
The only one who's ever known  
Who I am  
Who I'm not, who I wanna be  
No way to know  
How long she will be next to me

_Lost and insecure  
You found me, you found me  
Lyin' on the floor  
Surrounded, surrounded  
Why'd you have to wait?  
Where were you? Where were you?  
Just a little late  
You found me, you found me_

Early morning  
The city breaks  
I've been callin'  
For years and years and years and years  
And you never left me no messages  
Ya never send me no letters  
You got some kinda nerve  
Taking all I want

Lost and insecure  
You found me, you found me  
Lyin' on the floor  
Where were you? Where were you?  
Lost and insecure  
You found me, you found me  
Lyin' on the floor  
Surrounded, surrounded  
Why'd you have to wait?  
Where were you? Where were you?  
Just a little late  
You found me, you found me  
Why'd you have to wait?  
To find me, to find me."


	6. Chapter 6

**I feel like I need to work on the main plot, but I also want to write about Prussia's band XD I love music, especially punk rock, and that's what this whole fic is about. Feeling yourself through the music. Also, any ideas who should be the drummer? I just can't come up with anything. But I feel the need for a drummer.**

**((Go Radio does the Rolling in The Deep cover! Check it out))**

**Okay, inspiration over. PLS READ FOR A CRAZY TWITTER RPER WHO LOVES P!ATD **

**PRUSSIA SINGING MISS JACKSON TO HUNGARY /BOOM**

### ####

"Do you even know anyone who plays an instrument?" I asked my 'Prussian' companion drily. He snickered. "Nope."

"Well, that's a lot of fucking help."

"How about you, Lovi? Know anyone?"

I shrugged, memories of that lunchtime filling my mind. "That Austrian guy that plays the piano...he's not that bad."

Gilbert jumped up in his seat and I flinched a little. However, he was oblivious to my skittishness as he waved his arms around, nearly hitting me in the face. "Ja! Specs can play keyboard!" he yelled. "Keep your damn voice down," I hissed. Classmates were turning to glare at us; especially that Swiss guy that always seemed to have a stick up his ass.

"You're too fucking loud. Shut up."

Make that two sticks.

Gilbert sat back down again, although he looked like a puppy that had seen a treat. I rolled my eyes as he pulled out his notebook (he never took any notes, not that I did either but still) and began scribbling furiously. When he was finished he shoved it over to my side of the desk, nearly sending it to the floor. I caught it with two fingers and slid it back to where I could read it, sighing as I scanned it.

-LOVINO COME TO MY HOUSE SO WE CAN PRACTICE-

-How about NO?-

-PLEASE I'LL GET SPECS AND MEET YOU THERE-

-Will you stop BEING SUCH A BITCH IF I DO?-

-JA! DANKE LOVI 3-

I felt that funny little smile on my face again as I read his note, although I wasn't quite sure if that last bit was a heart or a dick. Oh well. Looks like I actually had something to do besides work, which was a major change. I didn't really do a lot of... anything, really, since Tonio and Bella cheated on me. It was refreshing, the thought I might finally be able to move on with my life.

### ####

((going back to Feli for like, one paragraph, because I don't want to neglect him))

I excused myself from Kiku as my phone began to chirp. As I glanced at the screen, I saw it was Lovino. But Lovino never texted me, let alone a call. Not to mention it was study period, so he could've just talked to me in person. What exactly was going on here? Once I got away from the crowd of people, I pressed the answer button, holding it to my ear immediately.

"Feli?"

"Ciao, Lovi! Vee~ Why are you calling?"

"I- er...I'm going to the bastard's house after school, so..."

He was going to someone's house? This was unusual. And who was a bastard? ...The easygoing smile dropped from my face. There was only one person who could've pressured him into this, though, when I thought about it. Nonetheless, better to act like I usually did. With much difficulty, but still.

"Which bastard, Lovi? Gilly?"

"Mm. You're going to have to find another way to get home."

"Vee~ Do you want me to make dinner?"

"Nah. I'll probably eat there. Bye."

"Ah, wait-"

He had already hung up. I blinked, feeling the light in my eyes dim. Kiku tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention, but I just couldn't acknowledge him at the moment. I had a bad, bad feeling about this and it wasn't just the thought my brother passed on eating the pasta I usually made on Fridays. I sighed, a light, airy noise, despite the darkness settling in my heart.

### ####

((Back to Lovi~ ))

This song was annoying. But at least it was a punk rock cover. Gilbert seemed to have a punk cover for anything popular that was halfway decent, and I couldn't knock him for that.

"_There's a fire starting in my heart,  
Reaching a fevered pitch and it's bringing me out the dark.  
Finally, I can see you crystal clear,  
Go ahead and sell me out and I'll lay your ship bare,  
See how I'll leave with every piece of you,  
Don't underestimate the things that I will do.  
There's a fire starting in my heart,  
Reaching a fever pitch and it's bring me out the dark._

The scars of your love remind me of us,  
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all.  
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless,  
I can't help feeling like

We could have had it all,  
Rolling in the deep,  
You had my heart inside your hands,  
And you played it to the beat.

Baby, I have no story to be told,  
But I've heard one on you and I'm gonna make your head burn,  
Think of me in the depths of your despair,  
Making a home down there as mine sure won't be shared.

The scars of your love remind me of us,  
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all.  
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless,  
I can't help feeling like

We could have had it all,  
Rolling in the deep.  
You had my heart inside your hands,  
But you played it to the beat.

We could have had it all,  
Rolling in the deep,  
You had my heart inside of your hands,  
But you played it with a beating.

Throw your soul through every open door (ooooh),  
Count your blessings to find what you look for (ohhh).  
Turn my sorrow into treasured gold (ooooh),  
You'll pay me back in kind and reap just what you've sow.

We could have had it all,  
We could have had it all.  
It all, it all, it all.

We could have had it all,  
Rolling in the deep.  
You had my heart inside of your hands,  
And you played it to the beat.

We could have had it all,  
Rolling in the deep.  
You had my heart inside of your hands,  
And you played it,  
You played it,  
You played it,  
You played it,  
You played it,  
You played it,  
You played it,  
You played it to the beat. "

I glared down at the address Gilbert had scribbled for me. His writing was BEYOND illegible. This was fucking ridiculous. I made a sharp turn, honking back at people who seemed to have some kind of problem with my driving. Finally I stopped at a large house, sticking my head out the window to study it. It didn't look like somewhere Gilbert would live...

Wait.

"I see those boxers of yours, bastard," I muttered to myself as I parked in the driveway and got out, looking at the white cloth flapping out of the basement window like a flag. Technically, I suppose it was a flag, but...ew. And he lived in a basement? That was sad, even for him. I watched as the boxers lost whatever grip they'd had and went sailing across the manicured lawn. As they passed me I landed one shoe on them and pinned them to the ground.

"LOVI!"

I forgot about the underwear as I was swept into muscled arms and forced into a hug. "G't off meh," I mumbled into the fabric of his shirt. He drew away a few inches, just enough so I could see his giant shit-eating grin. "You sounded like that Swedish guy just then," he said in greeting. I raised an eyebrow.

"Pewdiepie?"

"No! The one at school! Berwald!"

"...oh. Him."

Gilbert grabbed my hand and looked down at my foot. "Hey, my boxers! You saved them for me!" My cheeks flushed and I glared at him. "I don't give a shit about your damn underwear!" He began dragging me inside his house, and I realised I was clearly not getting a choice in this, so it was good I'd decided to show.

"So, I have to go pick up Specs, because he had some after school nerd shit, but he said he'd try out being in a band at least once."

"That...doesn't sound positive."

"Naw, he'll love it when he tries it out! It's fun!"

It occured to me I'd never heard Gilbert play the guitar. Feli said he was good at it but...I'd never heard him practice or anything. Of course, that went both ways. We'd relied on Feliciano's taste in music to form...this. How stupid could two people get?

"Okay, I left a couple cans of beer on the table, see ya in a bit!"

And he was out the door again, leaving me in a strange house, with nothing to help me. I blinked blankly at the front door, sighing as I realised I was on my own here. I took a few tenative steps further down the corridor, relief filling me as I found the open living room door, and the beer. I opened one and took a sip, wincing at the taste but drinking it none the same.

That was when I realised I wasn't alone.

My shocked gaze affixed on amused ice-blue eyes, and I took a step back, a gasp escaping me.

No, no, no. I couldn't get anything past the lump of fear in my throat.

I'd forgotten the most important thing about Gilbert's house, the reason I'd been apprehensive about befriending the idiot.

"Hello, Lovino. Why are you here?"

The potato bastard lived there too.


	7. Chapter 7

# Sing Me To Sleep 07(Itacest) #

Most reviews I get are just asking who's topping, and if Lovi gets to top. Why don't we bet on it? I don't even know yet so it'll be interesting to see who wins. Might even be a prize ω

Now for a little bit of feels.

Time to get a bit serious.

Time for a little bit of incest.

Time for little being the key word.

Time...for me to sleep. Jesus, its late. Have test. G'night.

### ####

((We're starting from Feli today))

"What do you mean Fratello disappeared?"

_"I don't know! Scheisse, I left him for ten minutes at my house while I picked up Specs and when we got back he was gone!"_

I felt my stomach drop. "What? How is that possible?"

_"I don't know! West says he doesn't know either!"_

"Si...where are you now?"

_"Still at my house, out in the street, looking. Specs is helping."_

"Vee~ I don't know why he would have disappeared, though."

_"Me either, but I remember when I was younger, I used to-"_

I hung up as Gilbert went to reply, not caring anymore. I needed to find Lovino, fast. I glanced at the time. It was getting late, too late. Where in the holy hell of pasta would he have gone? I grabbed my jacket, slamming open the front door as I thought quickly. Lovino never really went out anymore, and if he'd been missing for an hour like Gilbert said and hadn't turned up at home, there was only a few other places he'd be. And he wouldn't go to Antonio's. I dialled his cell phone as I trotted down the street, not expecting a reply and not getting one. "Oh, Lovino," I sighed.

There were only two places he could be, then.

And I doubt he'd show up at the family restaurant if our parents were there.

_So that means..._

I knew where he would've gone.

### ####

I smiled faintly as I saw a small figure curled up in the rain, by one of the biggest gravestones in the cemetery. Lovino looked so small like this, so fragile it broke my heart to stand close to him. I took a small step closer, glancing at the grave. It was so big...for a man who had technically disappeared. Our grandpa was the best, and we both loved him, so when he disappeared I was sad, and Lovino was crushed because now he had to move in with our parents. I heard Lovino's voice, barely audible over the rain. I'd never heard him sing this before.

"_By the time I was your age, I'd give anything  
To fall in love truly, was all I could think  
That's when I met your mother, the girl of my dreams  
The most beautiful woman, that I'd ever seen_

She said, "Boy can I tell you a wonderful thing?  
I can't help but notice, you're staring at me.  
I know I shouldn't say this, but I really believe,  
I can tell by your eyes that you're in love with me."

Now, son, I'm only telling you this  
Because life can do terrible things.

Now, most of the time we'd have too much to drink  
And we'd laugh at the stars and we'd share everything  
Too young to notice, and too dumb to care  
Love was a story that couldn't compare.

I said, "Girl, can I tell you a wonderful thing?  
I made you a present with paper and string.  
Open with care now, I'm asking you, please.  
You know that I love you, will you marry me?"

Now, son, I'm only telling you this  
Because life can do terrible things  
You'll learn, one day, I'll hope and I'll pray,  
That God shows you differently.

She said, "Boy can I tell you a terrible thing?  
It seems that I'm sick and I've only got weeks.  
Please, don't be sad now, I really believe,  
You were the greatest thing that ever happened to me."

Slow, so slow I fell to the ground on my knees.

So don't fall in love, there's just too much to lose  
If you're given the choice, then I beg you to choose  
To walk away, walk away, don't let her get you.  
I can't bear to see the same happen to you."

Now, son, I'm only telling you this  
Because life can do terrible things 

After the fragile voice had stopped its singing, I realised with a start Lovino was _crying_. Small sobs were covered up by the rain, but at this range I could hear him. He was curled up, not quite on the grave but enough under it so it protected him from the worst of the storm. "Stupid, stupid, stupid. Stupid potato bastard, stupid idiot Gilbert, stupid fucking me..." I blinked, unsure of what he was going on about. And potato bastard...who was that?

I knelt down beside him, dropping my jacket onto his shoulders and wrapping my arms around him. "Lovi~" Although I kept my voice light, there was a darker undertone to it that Lovino could pick up, to assure I was serious. He sighed and sagged into my embrace, shivering taking over his body as he tried to stop crying. "No, Lovi. Let it out," I ordered. He tried to snort at me, but the shivering died down and he began sniffling again. I pulled him closer, burying my face in his dark hair. "St-stupid idiot..." He mumbled against my shirt. "Vee~ Only sometimes," I replied airily.

We sat like that for a while. Maybe an hour, maybe only fifteen minutes. I didn't want to let him go, and he didn't seem to want me to let go, although that might've just been wishful thinking. I stayed there, gently brushing a hand through his soft hair, listening to his crying die down. Meanwhile, questions plagued me. What had upset him this bad? And he sounded afraid of something. Why?

"Feli..."

His voice sounded tired and strained, and he moved back slightly to look at me, although he glanced away after a few seconds. "Si, Fratello?" The words came out as barely a whisper. I didn't know why, but anticipation began to run through my veins, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that _something_ was going to happen. Lovino glanced at grandpa's grave one more time before he sighed and leaned forward.

### ####

((Lovino))

As I captured my brother's lips in a soft kiss, I inwardly laughed at the absurdity of the situation. Wasn't this illegal in some countries? But it wasn't like Feliciano was complaining, luckily for me. After the shock of a millisecond had faded he had begun to kiss back, his hands fisting gently in my sweater, the warmth of his hands radiating through the thin material. But a second later I had pulled back, feeling my cheeks light up in a flush. I probably looked like crap. After all, I'd been crying my ass off for the past god-knows-how-long. What a great kiss that must've been. Not to mention it had been completely random.

Feli blinked at me, looking dumbfounded as he licked his lips slowly. What was he doing? No one should look that sexy if they have as much trouble thinking as he did. Either way, I was outta here now. I sighed and stood up, my legs wobbling for a second. "I'll see you later, Feli," I mumbled over my shoulder, the need to escape finally winning over the rest of my body as I walked away. Feli didn't reply to me, and I wasn't looking back, so I had no idea what his reaction was. Now I had to focus on an excuse for running out on Gilbert, and an excuse for the bruised ribs. The bruised ribs I could cover up, and I...er...had homework. Yes, that's a good excuse. That'd work well enough.

On the way back I realised my phone was belting out heavy metal, and I hadn't even noticed. Whoops. I didn't look at the caller ID, simply pressing accept and lifting it to my ear as I rustled in my pocket for my house keys.

"Ciao, Lovino speaking."

_"Scheisse, Lovi, where the hell did you go?!"_

Well, bastard, your asshole brother didn't like me in his territory, dumb gorilla. I swallowed. "Uh...I remembered I had an assignment due tomorrow, so I had to get back home."

Gilbert's weird snickering filled the air. _"That sucks. Why didn't you call me to explain?"_

The man was mocking me about something that didn't exist. "I forgot."

_"Hm, okay. When can we practice then?"_

"Uh...I don't know, bastard, jeez."

_"Wait, do they a microphone at school?"_

I frowned. "Probably."

_"Ja! I've seen it! We'll practice when we all have a free period! Bye!"_

"Bye..."

I rolled my eyes as I flopped down onto the couch, not removing my shoes. Why did the bastard even bother asking me if they had a damn microphone if he already knew the answer? Jesus. I was clearly surrounded by idiots.

Wait a second.

If he wanted a microphone...

And we were practicing at school...

People would hear us.

"Fuck my life," I groaned as I rolled onto the floor, my body making a sizeable thump as I hit the ground.


	8. Chapter 8

**# Sing Me To Sleep 08(Itacest) #**

**This is slowly getting more popular. I'm happy for it :3 **

**Thanks to goddess bubbles who has been messaging me and encouraged me to write faster because of her constant feedback~**

**Admittedly I wanted Luddy in the band because Lolz but I decided against it.**

**Panic! At The Disco is my weak spot. I'm sorry.**

### ####

((Feliciano))

He had _kissed_ me.

I stared, wide-eyed, at grandpa's grave, having nothing else to gaze blankly at. A soundless sentence formed on my lips, still warm from Lovino's touch.

_'He kissed me.'_

And the strangest thing was, I wanted more. In the few seconds I'd had before he had left, I was fighting all the temptation to simply yank Lovino back to me and demand another kiss. Or just force one out of him. But I couldn't do that. I...had a boyfriend...didn't I? But he only kissed me when I demanded it. Lovino had just done it randomly, without asking or anything. I sighed.

Why didn't Ludwig do this to me?

Why didn't he cause these feelings of want, need even?

### ####

((Lovi~ ω))

Our first practice.

I was dying of embarrassment even being in the same band as these lunatics. But seen as I was a bit off-kilter myself, it wasn't like anyone else would want me.

"All set up," Eduard Von Bock mumbled, flinching away when Gilbert got too close. I stifled a smirk as the German put an arm around him, watching the blonde go white. "Y-yes, what is i-it?" Gilbert snickered at him, ruffling his hair to mess it up before he surveyed Eduard's work. The giant piano had been moved, and that was when we realised there was a stage underneath it, which we rose immediately because Gilbert, the bastard, had insisted on it. Somehow he had managed to bribe one of the nerds into setting up the microphone and shit, which was pretty damn funny.

"Stop bullying the boy, Gilbert," Roderich ordered. "Eduard, thank you, you can go now."

Eduard scuttled away; probably back to his nerd friends. I didn't care.

"Okay, so! What song are we playing?"

"I thought we needed a drummer?"

"Yeah, that's why I asked a guy, and he agreed to it!"

"...Alright."

"Yeah, he said he'd get here late, though!"

"Who is it?" I had found out Roderich had been bribed into joining, but who else could he know that was actually _stupid_ enough to get pulled into this. I shook my head and leaned against the piano, the shiny black surface still comfortable even though it had been moved from its place in the sun. Roderich was running a hand along the keyboard he'd brought along, looking disinterested. The bastard. How could someone so...preppy be practically _molesting_ the damn thing?! It was an inanimate object.

"Well, he's a bit younger than us but-"

I sighed. Of course he was younger than us; Gilbert and I were the stupidest shitheads around. We'd been held back a year in some classes. Gilbert stopped talking as there was a soft, short set of knocks on the door. It sounded pretty sedate for someone who was supposed to be a drummer in a rock band. Roderich paused from his... keyboard fondling (it was fucking disturbing), and looked towards the source of light as well.

"Gomenasai! I apologize for my lateness, I had business to attend to..."

I glanced at the door, my eyes finding Kiku. The short Asian boy was still holding the door as he bowed to us, and I was immediately distracted by it. What exactly had we done to deserve that? Gilbert wasn't a fucking king (reminding me of that Matthias jerk) and neither was Roderich, even though he acted like it. I think for the sake of my pride we won't even start on my royal status. For the sake of something else, I had to question him.

"Kiku, what did the bastard tell you to make you show?"

Gilbert snickered in the background, but Kiku just blinked at me. "I thought it would be fun to play music together. Did you not feel the same, Lovino-san?" He smiled softly and I felt my cheeks heat up. What was that supposed to mean? I'd only joined to make Feli stop worrying about me, nothing else! "I-I er..." was all I got out, shooting a quick glare at Gilbert's smirking face and then staring at the floor.

Kiku was a sneaky bastard.

### ####

"Are we playing anything, or are we just playing?" I questioned. Gilbert glanced up from where he was playing with his pride and joy, a guitar with the fucking Prussian flag on it. Prussia wasn't even a country anymore! Jesus Christ, this man would be the death of me. That or I'd strangle him instead. That actually sounded like a good idea.

"Can we think of a song we all know?"

"...Something that isn't too loud."

"Hey, how about that Panic! At The Disco song?"

"...Which one? They've written like, a million fucking songs."

"Uh..."

"How about something from their first album?"

"Oh, we should totally do that one about closing the goddamn door!"

"I Write Sins Not Tragedies?"

"I don't know! Is that the one about the door?"

"...Yes, Gilbert, its the one about the door."

### ####

"Gilbert-san...why are there people watching from the door?"

Gilbert snickered, the bastard as I felt all the blood drain from my face. I had a _fucking anxiety disorder!_ And those girls looked frightening. Like seriously, their expressions were making me want to go and hide in a corner. Did they like music that much or what?! Roderich seemed nonplussed, and Kiku...well, no one could really tell what he was thinking. But this was far from funny.

Then Gilbert started playing. "C'mon, Lovi!"

"Start singing, Lovino!" Roderich ordered.

I glared.

"Lovino-san, you have to join in or it won't sound good!"

My sigh echoed through the microphone as I remembered the words.

"_Oh,  
Well imagine,  
As I'm pacing the pews in a church corridor,  
And I can't help but to hear,  
No, I can't help but to hear an exchanging of words:  
"What a beautiful wedding! What a beautiful wedding!" says a bridesmaid to a waiter,  
"And, yes, but what a shame, what a shame the poor groom's bride is a whore."_

I'd chime in with a  
"Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?!"  
No, it's much better to face these kinds of things  
With a sense of poise and rationality.  
I'd chime in,  
"Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?!"  
No, it's much better to face these kinds of things  
With a sense of...

Well in fact,  
Well I'll look at it this way,  
I mean technically our marriage is saved  
Well this calls for a toast  
So, pour the champagne  
Oh! Well in fact,  
Well I'll look at it this way,  
I mean technically our marriage is saved  
Well this calls for a toast,  
So, pour the champagne, pour the champagne

I'd chime in with a  
"Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?!"  
No, it's much better to face these kinds of things  
With a sense of poise and rationality.  
I'd chime in,  
"Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?!"  
No, it's much better to face these kinds of things  
With a sense of poise and rationality again.

I'd chime in,  
"Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?!"  
No, it's much better to face these kinds of things  
With a sense of poise and rationality.  
I'd chime in,  
"Haven't you people ever heard of closing the goddamn door?!"  
No, it's much better to face these kinds of things  
With a sense of poise and rationality again…."

### ####

"That was awesome!" I heard a girl squeal. They were still gathered by the door, and I'd only just managed to avoid talking to them through a couple of what I hoped were sharp glares. I sat on the piano with Kiku and Roderich as Gilbert chatted them up. Seen as he was the only sociable one out of all of us, he was getting all the girls. I snorted. I didn't want them. I had enough on my plate in the form of my younger brother to worry about crap like that.

Feli hadn't seen me sing.

For some reason, that made my smug happiness at our initial success dim a little. Feliciano had been the one that had pushed me into this, with his weird fucking obsession with my singing. _That_ was what had brought me back to life again, strangely enough. That and my determination that I could not allow the potato to win. I challenged him mentally, to a duel over the princess. Feli was mine.

Now I sounded like Alfred.

"What's wrong with me?"

Roderich opened his mouth to reply but I glared at him steadily, and after a few seconds he shut it and I nodded to myself. Just because he liked the Fray, didn't mean anything. The man was a pansy.

Bitch couldn't mess with me if he tried.


	9. Chapter 9

**# Sing Me To Sleep 09(Itacest) #**

**My spellcheck has decided 'Itacest' is what I mean if I try to write 'incest' now. When even your phone ships Itacest, you know your writing is getting better. /win. I've started advertising around in the hopes of more follows. After I publish something I sit on my laptop pressing refresh until I get a follow or favorite or something. /pathetic**

**Warning; ****wet dreams ****sexual imagination, heavily implied in this chapter. I did warn you guys!**

### ####

((Feliciano mostly this chapter, I think))

_Our lips met chastely, a simple brush of warmth. I drew him back immediately afterwards, pulling him close, feeling the heat radiate from his body and spread to mine in a flush. "Fratello," I breathed softly as his eyes, an amber-golden colour in the moonlight, met mine. He smiled bitterly, as I sensed it more than saw it. It wasn't hard to pick him out from the darkness, and he looked confident for once, which only succeeded in making the heat pooling within me faster._

_"Si...?"_

_"Per favor...I want more," I said almost demandingly, my voice still breathless. Lovino's hands were at my hips, and they weren't moving. At all. At my request, they moved up gently, lifting my shirt with it. My brother settled onto the floor, kneeling before me. I felt his warm breath on my boxers, underneath my boxers, and shivered. The pleasure running in my veins was strange, unknown, exciting. Lovino slipped a few fingers down the waistband of my boxers and slipped them down, a small smirk on his face. I felt myself draw in a sharp breath._

_"Does the potato make you feel like this?"_

_Did he just- _

_I let out an airy moan and almost fell against the wall behind me, my legs going to jelly as what he said flitted away with my sense as his tongue teased me. "Mm- Oh, Lovi, aah-" I could only choke out broken forms of his name as he glanced up at me deviously before continuing with his pleasure-giving. I closed my eyes, overtaken by the sensation of my brother, lightning prickling up my arms, down my body. How was this possible?_

_This wasn't-_

_This couldn't be-_

### ####

I snapped out of the dream suddenly, one minute being asleep and the next wide awake, the shock of what I had been imagining nothing close to what it had done to me. I let out a shuddering sigh, and kicked the covers off of my sweaty body. I couldn't remember this happening before, actually. It was weird. I wasn't really sure what to do with myself after that...dream. I was still 'holding my V Card,' as Lizzy told me the term was. Really I was just saving my body for someone...

Never mind.

### ####

I floated around the house for the weekend, Lovi being away at a concert he'd been wanting to see and our parents out at the restaurant. Lovi hadn't told me how long he'd be gone for, and I felt a little lonely in our big house all by myself. But...at the same time, I needed space to think. I was upset about something, and I didn't even understand why. Why was I thinking about my brother like that? Did he have the same dreams too?

I wondered faintly if Ludwig was worried about me. Usually I called him during the weekend, at least twice. And it was a long weekend, too. I wouldn't see him until Tuesday. But...I didn't feel a need to call. The phone sat on my bedside table, slowly, slowly losing battery life, as I stared at it blankly. Didn't I need to call him? He was my boyfriend, after all. I let out a tired, "Vee," and flopped back onto the bed, sinking into the soft material of my sheets.

...I did like my sheets.

Maybe I'd just stay here for the rest of the weekend. It wasn't like I had any plans, right? I closed my eyes, feeling safer with them shut for some reason, and pulled my covers around me, rolling up in the soft white cotton before letting my mind drift. As long as I didn't fall asleep, I'd be fine...

### ####

"Feliciano? Open the door!"

I stood up and peeked out my window to see Ludwig standing on our front step, knocking politely. His face was completely blank; there was nothing in his expression and it unnerved me more than usual, for some reason. There was something cold that wasn't usually there, and I found myself taking a step back from the window so there was no chance he would see me. He pulled out his phone after a few minutes, and I glanced at my own, realising with relief it was on silent as it lit up. I ignored it, looking back down at Luddy as he dialled a different number and faced away from my house as the person on the other end answered.

"Hallo. Ja, this is Ludwig."

"Nein, he is not here."

"...nein, I cannot just break into his house. That was the purpose of all this, so we didn't have to break in, remember?"

"Dummkopf."

I felt a chill run down my spine. This didn't feel right at all. Who was Luddy talking to? Why was he telling them they were an idiot? And why would they be breaking into grandpa's house anyway? I backed another step away as Ludwig stared up at the house, his eyes stopping at what he knew was the window to my room. Why did I feel so scared of my own boyfriend?

### ####

A slamming sound snapped me out of it, and I felt completely disoriented. Where was I? My eyes caught the blinking of the clock. 22:30. That meant I'd been sitting motionless on the couch for quite a while, then. I'd been too afraid to sleep. I wondered who had come home and then realised it must have been Lovino. If it had been our parents they would have been more quiet; and I wouldn't be able to hear them swearing as they kicked their toe. Then I heard him clomp up the stairs to his room, and followed him without thinking.

### ####

((To Lovi 3))

"...Lovi?"

I'd managed to flick my leather off and my t-shirt when I heard a soft voice. Oh. So Feli was home after all; I'd assumed he'd be at Kiku's or something, usually he hated being alone in our house. I threw a reply over my shoulder as I kicked off my skinny jeans, hating how uncomfortable they were.

"Si, Feli, what is it?"

"...can I sleep with you tonight?"

I stopped what I was doing, my eyes widening. "Erm...okay."

He shuffled into the room after I had consented, sitting down on my bed and drawing his knees to his chest like a small child. He looked so...vulnerable, even more so than he normally did. When he'd asked the first thing that had popped into my head was to seduce him, but when he looked like this I couldn't even bring myself to do anything. I sighed and sat on the bed next to him, prodding him lightly.

"If you don't move we can't sleep, idiota."

He blinked and shifted over, laying down but still looking worried. It was making me worried too, funnily enough. Strange shit. I sprawled out on the bed once I had room, feeling him cuddle up to me and getting a mix of emotions in return for it. Now I was worried- I could feel him shaking, even though it seemed to be dying down now. I pulled him into my arms, unsure of what I was supposed to be doing but following my gut instinct.

"Hey...Lovi..." came his sleepy voice.

"Mm?"

"Can you sing me a song?"

"Mkay."

I wracked my brains for something that wasn't heavy metal, punk, or rock, and bit my lip. I couldn't come up with anything; I wasn't some goth- wait.

"_I'm so tired of being here,  
Suppressed by all my childish fears  
And if you have to leave  
I wish that you would just leave  
Cause your presence still lingers here  
And it won't leave me alone_

These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time cannot erase

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me

You used to captivate me  
By your resonating light  
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind  
Your face it haunts  
My once pleasant dreams  
Your voice it chased away  
All the sanity in me

These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time cannot erase

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me

I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone  
But though you're still with me  
I've been alone all along

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held you hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me…."


	10. Chapter 10

**# Sing Me To Sleep 10(Itacest) #**

**Hah...I love this fic. :3 I love the title, I love the storyline, I love the characters~ #HasPartyInMyHead I really wanted to use the song 'Sight of The Sun' by Fun., but I'd already used it in a FrUk oneshot. I am crushed at this turn of events.**

**Real plot will continue in chapter 11- I'm a bit distracted at the moment. I'm going to make my chapters longer. Okay? Okay. Well...once my psychology assessment comes in. Wish me luck~! **

### ####

((Feli))

I awoke sleepily to a nice warmth, and legs tangled together with mine comfortably, smooth skin to smooth skin. It was peaceful, pleasant, and I couldn't hear anything besides gentle breathing from the other person in the bed with me, which ruffled my hair a little, tickling. I stifled a giggle at the arms wrapped around my waist, keeping me close to their owner. Lovino was rather cute when he was unconscious. Despite the fact I was pretty much trapped, I didn't feel bothered by it in the slightest. In fact, my brother's body was almost too warm, like it was overheated...

"Lovi? Are you..."

A weak cough interrupted my unspoken question, and I let out a small huff. He was sick. Of course. When had he caught it? His body had been quite cold when he had hopped into the bed with me. Maybe it had been the concert he'd been to. Shining Down...or something like that. I didn't really know anything about them; except for a vague memory of a loud banging music that was painful when it was turned up loud.

I wriggled until he loosened his grip on me slightly and rolled away so I could shift up and press my forehead to his. The burning sensation made me shrink away slightly and wipe the sweat that had gotten on my face. Aw, poor Lovi. But now I had an excuse to take care of him, something he'd never let me do normally. I had an excuse to spoil him. Although he didn't act very responsible and I accepted it, we both knew who paid the bills in this house, and it wasn't our parents. Not that they were ever home. I get the feeling we might have been evicted if not for grandpa's money and Lovi.

"Lovi...wake up for a second..."

I pressed my lips to his cheek for a mere fraction of a second, smiling against the slightly flushed skin when he grunted in response, signalling he was only half awake but that he was listening. His eyes flickered open halfway, the light from the morning sun hitting them and making the colour go golden. I detached myself from him as he loosened his grip and smiled down at him, feeling happy and silly and I didn't know why.

"You've gotten sick, Lovi, so I'm going to look after you."

"Stop talking so loud..."

"Oh! I'm sorry!"

Lovino groaned and rolled over, shutting his eyes and burying his face in his pillow. I patted his hair for a moment, enjoying the weirdly fluffy feeling, before I stood up and stretched. Once I felt more awake I lifted one of Lovino's band shirts from the floor. It smelled kind of like Lovino, and it wasn't dirty, so I slipped it on and padded out the door, listening for any noise in the house. Once I felt reassured no one was home, I went down the stairs, wincing at the cold of the wooden floor.

Nope. All was clear. I let out a relieved sigh; I don't think our father would've taken kindly to Lovino being sick when he could be out doing things. It was bad enough my testy fratello couldn't get a job; spending the day in bed would certainly get him beaten. But this way I could take care of him, thank goodness. It would all be alright. I looked around the kitchen, wondering what I should do first. I would normally make him a cup of coffee, but the sleepier he was the easier he was to take care of in this situation, so I wouldn't bother.

Oh, this was exciting~

### ####

((Switching to Lovi for a while))

_Ugh_.

My head felt like there was a million potato bastards smashing around in it. Everything was blurry and...horrible, in general. I closed my eyes and rolled onto my stomach so I didn't have to deal with the light any more. Maybe I'd start feeling better if the sun stopped shining so brightly. Maybe someone should shut the damn curtains already, before I annihilated everything in sight. Like, everything. Except maybe a glass of water or something. My throat felt horrible.

"Ugh," I repeated, out loud this time.

### ####

"So cute!"

I floated back to consciousness when something cold and damp was pressed to my forehead. It felt nice, refreshing, so I didn't kill Feli for giggling about how cute I looked. Sick was not the same thing as deaf, but he didn't seem to realise that at all. Dumbass. I cracked one eye open and the first thing I saw were words that had something written about Whiskey Princesses. Was that.. my shirt? But the scent wasn't my own; it was too soft, and smelled more like home cooking. Feliciano, then.

"...stupid," I mumbled.

"Vee~"

I rolled over painfully, upsetting the cloth placed on my head, and felt it slide onto the bed. Whatever. It wasn't like I cared. I felt fucking awful; what kind of a demon illness was this, and why wasn't I dead yet? It was clearly someone's idea of torture. Damned Shinedown concert. My ears pricked as I felt Feliciano lean over me, and I rolled back over to see what he was doing.

Oh.

He snagged the cloth between two delicate fingers, resting his weight on my hips gently as he held me there. I felt my face heat up. Why in hell had he decided to fucking straddle me? I let out a huff as he brushed my bangs out if my face and smoothed the cloth over my face again. But I was more focused on the feel of his legs...I bet they'd feel nice...

### ####

((Switch to Feli))

I nearly yelped as a hand slid up past my knee and lifted a small part of the shirt to reveal a corner of my red boxers. Immediately, I glanced down and saw Lovino's silly little smile. He looked younger when he smiled, more like his age instead of an old man. That expression...It was adorable! Or it would be if he wasn't-

"L-Lovi, what're you-"

I shut my eyes tightly as a tingling sensation ran up my leg. He was just using his hand to draw little circles on my thigh; why was it having such and effect on me? I let out a small whimper and then covered my mouth with a hand. I was supposed to behave. This wasn't fair on Lovino. He'd probably rather be with Gilbert and he was just sick, and confused, and I wasn't helping the situation. Although...he was certainly taking the initiative here. I shut my eyes tightly as the warm, probing fingers touched the inside of my thigh, assaulted by the tingling which had spread around my whole body now.

No. I wasn't supposed to-

"Ah, Lovi-"

This had to be a dream. There was no way Lovino was actually _touching_ me in real life, this was impossible. A finger slid over my skin almost painfully close to where I really wanted him to touch, and I squirmed a little, lost in his faintly teasing expression. I was unable to look away from his still flushed face, smirking, even though he was-

Oh.

He was sick.

Of course.

"Mi dispiace, Lovi," I whispered, realising he probably wouldn't want this if he was alert. A puzzled expression crossed his face, and with a sigh I slid off of the bed, unable to look at that face anymore. It hurt my chest to be in the same room. He didn't know what he was doing. Who knows if he'd even remember it? On my way out I clicked the iPod dock on, leaving it playing lowly as I left.

### ####

((Lovi...kind of))

_...I could hear music. _

_Was I dreaming?_

_Was I awake? _

_Someone was talking to me. What were they...they were apologising. For what? I wanted to ask, but I was unable. What had happened? I felt the darkness tug at me, pulling me back into its depths, with only the music as company. I knew the song; of course I did. It was one of my songs. _

"_All alone in an empty room  
nothing left but the memories of when I had my best frIend  
I don't know how we ended up here  
I don't know but it's never been so clear  
We made a mistake, dear.  
And I see the broken glass in front of me  
I see your shadow hangIng over me  
and your face, I can see..._

Through the trees  
I wIll find you;  
I wIll heal the ruins left inside you  
cuz I'm stIll here breathing now...  
I'm still here breathing now...  
I'm still here breathIng now...  
untIl I'm set free.  
Go quiet through the trees

I remember how we used to talk  
about the places we would go when we were off  
and all that we were gonna find.  
And I remember our seeds grow  
and how you cried when you saw  
the first leaves show.  
The love was pouring from your eyes.

So can you see  
the branches hanging over me?  
Can you see  
the love you left inside of me?  
in my face  
can you see?

Through the trees  
I will find you;  
I will heal the ruins left inside you.  
Cuz I'm still here breathing now  
I'm still here breathing now...  
I'm still here breathing now...  
until I'm set free.  
Go quiet through the trees.

Cuz you're not coming back  
And you're not coming back  
No-oo.. No-oo.. No  
You're not coming back...  
You're not coming back...

Take my breath as your own  
Take my eyes to guide you home

Cuz I'm still here breathing now...  
I'ms till here breathing now...  
I'm still here breathing now...  
And I'm still here...

Cuz I'm still here breathing now...  
I'm still here breathing now...  
I'm still here breathing now...  
And I'm still here..

Cuz I'm still here breathing now...  
I'm still here breathing now...  
I'm still here breathing now...  
And I'm still here..

But you're not coming back.  
And you're not coming back.  
Cuz you're not coming back  
until I'm set free  
Go quiet through the trees…."


	11. Chapter 11

**# Sing Me To Sleep 11(Itacest) #**

**Can I just explain;**

**- Lovi went to a Shinedown concert**

**- The Whisky Princess thing is an All Time Low song, called Backseat Serenade, and is also sold on their merch store as a t-shirt (which I have seen but would rather stalk Mayday Parade's merch)**

**I have six documents to upload in a week! XD Maybe seven. Pretty good for a psycho, eh? (^v^) **

**GERMANIA DOES LOOK LIKE LEGOLAS DON'T QUESTION ME**

**We haven't seen the band since chapter 8**

### ####

((Lovi))

I didn't get it.

What had I done wrong?

When we went back to school after the weekend, I was completely stumped. Feliciano had been ignoring me since my fever had broken this morning, and when I tried to talk to him he made some excuse to run away. He'd always been flighty, but this was ridiculous. I'd been sick, yeah, but usually that didn't bother him. Had he become a germophobe when I wasn't looking? I mean, was it the potato bastard? Was he a neat freak or something, and he'd started to pass it on to my poor impressionable brother?

When I dragged my phone out I noticed a text from him. But he never tested me; he always told me he'd rather see me and tell me things himself. I felt a frown appear on my face as I sat up from my position on the piano. (It was in the corner now, and it was a pain because now there was no sun for me to lie in) This shit was getting weird. What had happened on the weekend? I scanned the screen quickly, disbelievingly even.

-going home with luddy. staying the night, don't make dinner. Feli-

My frown got deeper. It was almost like he was trying to give me the cold treatment. But that was impossible; it was _Feliciano_, for fuck's sake. He even gave that 'ironically cool' guy with the sunglasses the benefit of the doubt when he showed up from nowhere to blab about puppet dong for five minutes before he disappeared again.

I hoped he died horribly. Hopefully something involving naked puppets he'd been rattling on about.

The point was, this was completely out of character. I was almost worried.

"Lovino...you look like something's bothering you."

I shot a glare at Roderich as he sat down on the piano bench with calm, snooty violet eyes still looking at me. I was half-tempted to kick him in the face, I was sure he wouldn't dodge it. However, I'd told myself I'd be nice (or try, at least).

"Fuck up, four eyes."

"...as you wish."

He brushed his hands along the piano keys, and I almost felt pity for him. He was used to this great fucking majestic piano, and he'd been reduced to this. Then again, he was a snobbish asshole, so why did I give a shit? He played a few keys experimentally, and I slid off the piano and began stalking away. Elizaveta was standing in the doorway, and she gave me a puzzled look as I walked out. Well, I wasn't in the mood to hang out with anyone. Maybe I could skip for today; it wasn't like anyone would notice.

### ####

((Feli))

I sighed again, leaning against Kiku's shoulder. He didn't move away like normal, simply taking a small bite of the rice ball he was holding and then setting it down, glancing back at me. I tried to keep the guilt off of my face, but he'd always been able to read me and I felt too bad to try and hide it anyway. He turned his blank-looking gaze to the window, watching the sunlight for a moment. I stared down at the ground, using the toe of my shoe to nudge a butterfly. It didn't move, and I felt a wave of sadness. Such a pretty thing, just to die like that.

"How are you and Ludwig-san, Feliciano-kun?"

"...what?"

"You seem more distant."

"We haven't seen each other yet, that's all."

"He isn't here today."

I sighed. "Si, but I'm going to go over to his house. I'm feeling lonely."

Kiku nodded acknowledgement and picked up the rice ball again, his curiosity satisfied for now. I closed my eyes, feeling a pain building behind them. Was this what a headache felt like then...? It was a very dull pain, and I could ignore it if I tried. I slumped against Kiku again, hoping there was still a long time until the bell for class rung. Maybe I could sleep a little.

### ####

"Luddy? Are you there...?"

I knocked on the front door, and was reminded of a couple of days ago when he had shown up randomly at my house. Who had he been talking to? Unease began to spill a trail down my back, and I felt myself paling as I realised the door was open and nudged it with one finger. It swung open soundlessly, and I stepped into the house, straining my ears to hear for signs of life. Nothing. But I wasn't sure if that was good or not. Then I heard a clattering from upstairs, and let out the breath I'd been holding. Maybe it was Luddy.

I stepped up the stairs, still being quiet. Something didn't feel quite right; and I was worried about what was going on here. The house seemed unwelcoming, cold. My head snapped to the side as a noise echoed from a room. By now I was ready to turn tail and run. Something was horribly, horribly wrong, and I was scared out of my mind.

_"-cannot just break into his house. That was the purpose of all this, so we didn't have to break in-"_

"I'm doing what you told me to, now don't touch me!"

"But...Ludwig, what's wrong? Don't tell me you're chickening out now?"

"Nein, I am not. But I don't want you touching my things."

"Shut up. You need to learn who's in charge of this operation."

I was aware of my breathing, loud and gasping, as I stood frozen at the top of the stairs. I could heard Ludwig shouting; why was he yelling? He sounded angry, and I stepped backwards. People were fighting, I didn't know how many and- oh _god_, it sounded like someone was hurt, and I just didn't know!

One of my feet slipped back without thinking, and I felt myself falling down the stairs. One, two, three, every one bringing pain as I hit the floor at the bottom and rolled across the hallway. My body hurt, badly, but the fear was still running through my body as I realised the fighting had stopped. What if they'd heard me? Stupid, of course they'd heard me, and my ankle was twisted and I needed to get _away_. I hobbled to the door, one hand scrabbling for my phone as I opened the message function and slid around the side of the house.

-help lovi please I need you 2 pick me up-

I heard people stamping around the house and curled up in between some daisies, burying my face in my knees. My ankle hurt, and I could only hope Lovi wasn't too angry at me for ignoring him.

### ####

((Lovi))

When I braked sharply in front of the potato bastard's house, he was already out the front. I shot him a glare from behind my sunglasses as he approached. If he touched my goddamn car I would kill him. Instead he stood there, like the hulk of mindless muscle he was. I realised I didn't even know if Feli was still here; and decided I was just going to insult him and leave again.

"The fuck are you looking at?"

"What do you want, Lovino?"

"None of your business."

I pulled out my phone, whipping open the text Feliciano had sent me and typing back a reassurance that I was driving to a parking lot near enough the potato's house. Then I flipped up my middle finger at him, changed it to a wave to Gilbert as he opened the window, and put it down quickly as I saw what I assumed was their grandfather (or Legolas) before driving away.

### ####

"Feli? What the fuck happened to y-"

I barely caught him as he threw himself into my lap, even though he really wasn't that heavy. I frowned for the millionth time that day, and then my eyes widened as I realised he was crying. "Feli?" He didn't reply, simply gripping onto my jacket and sobbing louder. He looked dishevelled, and something felt horribly wrong. But that wasn't the point. I patted his head awkwardly, unsure of what I was supposed to be doing.

After a while the sniffling died out, and he shifted so he was seated in the passenger seat, staring out of the window. I looked at him, one hand on the ignition, but waiting for him to grab me again. I was worried about this; it was really, well...out of character for him. Something, or someone, must have upset him a _lot_. When I decided it was safe to begin driving I started up the car, pushing my sunglasses up to sit on my head, and pulled it out of reverse. Immediately the CD I had in the player started playing lowly, and Feli's head turned slightly to fixate gold eyes on it.

"Lovi...would you...sing along...?"

"Are you going to join in?"

Well, it wasn't like it was a hard request, after all. It was a Skillet song; it was a duet song, not to mention I knew that Feliciano could sing it. He nodded soundlessly, and I began humming to get into it.

((the brackets are Feli))

"…_I'm just a step away  
I'm just a breath away  
Losin' my faith today  
(Fallin' off the edge today)_

I am just a man  
Not superhuman  
(I'm not superhuman)  
Someone save me from the hate

It's just another war  
Just another family torn  
(Falling from my faith today)  
Just a step from the edge  
Just another day in the world we live

I need a hero to save me now  
I need a hero (save me now)  
I need a hero to save my life  
A hero'll save me (just in time)

I've gotta fight today  
To live another day  
Speakin' my mind today  
(My voice will be heard today)

I've gotta make a stand  
But I am just a man  
(I'm not superhuman)  
My voice will be heard today

It's just another war  
Just another family torn  
(My voice will be heard today)  
It's just another kill  
The countdown begins to destroy ourselves

I need a hero to save me now  
I need a hero (save me now)  
I need a hero to save my life  
A hero'll save me (just in time)

I need a hero to save my life  
I need a hero just in time  
Save me just in time  
Save me just in time

Who's gonna fight for what's right  
Who's gonna help us survive  
We're in the fight of our lives  
(And we're not ready to die)

Who's gonna fight for the weak  
Who's gonna make 'em believe  
I've got a hero (I've got a hero)  
Livin' in me

I'm gonna fight for what's right  
Today I'm speaking my mind  
And if it kills me tonight  
(I will be ready to die)

A hero's not afraid to give his life  
A hero's gonna save me just in time

_[Chorus]___

I need a hero  
Who's gonna fight for what's right  
Who's gonna help us survive

I need a hero  
Who's gonna fight for the weak  
Who's gonna make 'em believe  
I need a hero  
I need a hero

A hero's gonna save me just in time~"


	12. Chapter 12

**# Sing Me To Sleep 12(Itacest) #**

**I had brilliant ideas for this...**

**And now they're all gone. T_T Such is life.**

**So apparently social anxiety is the same as depression but completely different. All I know is, I'm a fucking psycho and no psychologist is ever getting me to admit I cut or thought about/attempted suicide. Heheh. Bring it ooooon~ **

**((I improvised with Gilbird XD))**

**URGENT NOTE- I NEED A NAME FOR THE BAND OH GOD SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE**

### ####

((Lovi))

Feli was being fucking _weird_.

I didn't get it.

What the hell had happened to him, anyway?! He'd been limping badly, and I'd had to fix up a splint for his ankle rather than going to the hospital, which he'd vehemently refused to do. Stupid idiot. I let out a sigh and rested my forehead on the desk in front of me, closing my eyes. Maybe I'd get some peace in class. I was too worried about Feli when I was in the house. The surface felt cool on my skin, and I relaxed a little, dropping my pen on the desk. And before that he'd been ignoring me. He really needed to make up his damn mind; I wasn't here to deal with his indecisive bullshit.

"Hey, Lovi, wake up!"

Hands began prodding me insistently and I grunted and shifted away, but Gilbert continued to effortlessly piss me off. A snicker reached my ears as a sharp pain and...another sensation ran through my body. I sat up like I'd been struck by lightning, slapping Gil's hands from my hair curl. He snickered again as I flushed and shot him a glare that would scare even Professor Snape. He shifted his hands closer to my face and I swiped at them with one hand, cursing under my breath. There was no _way_ he was touching that shit again. Fucking curl.

"What's wrong, Lovi?"

Tease.

"Go away," I hissed.

"Aw, but we were just getting along so well..."

"Fuck off, Beilschmidt," I retorted, too loud.

"Mr. Vargas, do you have something you'd like to share?"

"I- ugh. No."

"Good. Now, as I was saying..."

A grin slipped onto the Prussian's dumbass face and I looked away, making what I hoped was a disgruntled expression. Unfortunately I could feel it turning into a pout, but nonetheless I was still hoping it'd have the effect I wanted. I was still hoping like hell he'd go _away_ and leave me to sleep. Although that was being shouldered aside by reality rather quickly, I realised with an inner groan as Gilbert's textbook was shoved into my personal space. I refused to look at it, staring ahead at the teacher, as it was taken back, scribbled on (how could someone be so loud when they were just _writing_?!) and shoved back under my elbow. I realised with resignation I wasn't getting anywhere by ignoring the bastard, so I glanced down at the page, and the terrible handwriting upon it.

**-LOVI LOVI WE GOT A GIG-**

**-What?-**

**-I GOT US A GIG AT A BAR WHERE MY BUDDY WORKS-**

**-Did you think of ASKING the rest of us first, bastard?!-**

**-LOVI COME ON! IT'S ON THE WEEKEND PLEASE OTHERWISE WEST WILL MAKE ME CLEAN-**

**-We don't even have ANY DAMN SONGS TO PLAY, YOU IDIOT!-**

**-WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING-**

I sighed and slammed my forehead down on the desk as the bell to leave rang, the sound unable to drown out the pain in my head. How could he be so damn positive about this shit?! This was a fucking disaster, how could we possibly come up with something moderately decent in three damn days?! We didn't even know what kind of band we were at this stage, we'd just screwed around a little bit.

We were so royally _fucked_.

### ####

"This is a disaster," I groaned again.

"Can we play something now?"

"Depends. How quickly can we pick up the beat of a song and learn to play it?"

"I think...if we try hard, we can learn quite fast."

"Let's experiment with that. Someone get out their iPod."

Gilbert pulled his (what the fuck, why was it shaped like a bird? A _yellow_ bird) out at Roderich, and the cocky little bitch caught it with one hand, scrolling through the list with faint interest, the light shining off of his glasses. I dragged my face along the surface of the piano keys so I could see the screen as well, which he snorted at and lowered the iPod to my eye level. Surprisingly, he had some Mayday Parade, which seemed strange for him, but...each to their own. Then my eye caught something I was insanely familiar with. I sat up.

"It's not a hard song, after all," Roderich agreed, even though I hadn't said anything, which I found weird because it was a stupid song and he seemed too snobbish to listen to it. I snorted and rolled my eyes at him. Gilbert leaned on my head to look at what we'd picked out, and let out a laugh. "Of course you wouldn't pick the heavy metal," he said in an amused voice. Kiku blinked from his seat behind the drumset and I waved him over, showing him the title. He tilted his head to the side and smiled faintly.

"Lovino-san, would you mind playing it for me?"

"It's an instrumental, so he's gonna have to sing along!"

"Yes. Lovino, go ahead and sing."

For the millionth time in my head, I cursed being the neighborhood canary. You'd think Gilbert's iPod would be, but nope, this was my curse to bear, obviously. "What possessed you to get a fucking chicken cover?" I questioned, my finger hovering over the 'play' button. Gilbert grinned at me, ruffling my hair but luckily missing the curl in his conquest. "I call it Gilbird!" I felt my eyes roll again as I pressed the play and let the intro filter in as I turned the sound right up.

Only he could be this childish when he was already a fucking adult. But, strangely enough, it made me feel better about...well, everything. Maybe it was his whole take on life, but it was slightly inspiring. Being an idiot clearly had positives to it as well, it seemed. Especially this song. It was a slap in the face to _actual_ music, but at the same time...it had it's own charm.

Wait, when had I become a fucking philosopher?!

"…_I almost got drunk at school at 14  
Where I almost made out with the homecoming queen  
Who almost went on to be Miss Texas  
But lost to a slut with much bigger breast-es  
I almost dropped out to move to LA  
Where I was almost famous for almost a day_

And I almost had you  
But I guess that doesn't cut it  
Almost loved you  
I almost wished u would've loved me too

I almost held up a grocery store  
Where I almost did 5 years and then 7 more  
Cuz I almost got popped for a fight with a thug  
Cuz he almost made off with a bunch of the drugs  
That I almost got hooked on cuz you ran away  
And I wish I woulda had the nerve to ask you to stay

And I almost had you  
But I guess that doesn't cut it  
Almost had you  
And I didn't even know it

You kept me guessing and now I'm destined  
to spend my time missing you  
I almost wish you would've loved me too

Here I go thinking about all the things I could've done  
I'm gonna need a forklift cuz all the baggage weighs a ton  
I know we had our problems I can't remember one

I almost forgot to say something else  
And if I cant fit it in I'll keep it all to myself  
I almost wrote a song about you today  
But I tore it all up and then I threw it away

And I almost had you  
But I guess that doesn't cut it  
Almost had you  
And I didn't even know it

You kept me guessing and now I'm destined  
to spend my time missing you  
And I almost had you,

_And I almost had you, _

_And I _

_Almost had you,_

I almost wish you would've loved me too,"

### ####

((Feliciano))

Lovino didn't notice me slump down in the corner near the door as he sang. I didn't listen to the words, simply enjoying the melodic sound of his voice. I got the feeling it wasn't supposed to be a nice song, but at the same time, it had a sad feeling to it that made me snuggle more into the black hoodie I'd stolen from my brother's closet. For today I also had black leggings and knee-high boots as well. I'd spent the day avoiding everyone, and hopefully if I dressed like what Lovi called 'an emo' then maybe I'd be left alone. What was funny was that it worked, except when people saw my face and asked me why such a nice boy was taking after his deadbeat brother.

...what was wrong with Lovino, exactly, that people didn't like? He was grumpy sometimes, sure, but what had he actually done to deserve hatred from most of the staff and students? He was a great person; he'd looked after me all his life, and we stuck together even though he said mean things sometimes! He was the best brother ever! And we made pasta together, too! He was a brilliant person, and he was pretty, and smart, and I loved him!

Even though I'd been _ignoring_ him...

I felt an uncomfortable, almost painful, feeling in my stomach at that thought. I'd done what I had thought had been right, and now I didn't like it. He'd been doing things while he was sick, he'd probably meant to do it to a pretty girl or something. He didn't like me that way, surely. It was impossible he'd actually been meaning to do it to me; he had a fever! I slid down the wall, so I was almost laying on the tiled floor now. They still hadn't noticed me, and I was happy with that while I was thinking.

...wait.

He had kissed me, before.

_-fisting my hands in Lovino's sweater and kissing him back softly, tasting him on my lips, wishing this moment could just last until the end of time but that just wouldn't be long enough because this felt incredible and beautiful and r_ight_-_

I let out a yelp as someone touched my arm, memories and the pain in my ankle mixing together as I stared up at Gilbert and let out a tiny sigh. Thank goodness. For a minute there I'd been really scared it had been Luddy, who I hadn't seen today. I looked up at his friendly expression and took his hand when he offered to pull me up, putting a facade of my usual self on as I stood, the sleeves of the hoodie swallowing my hands again and leaving out the pale fingertips.

"Ciao, Gilly!"

"Hey, Feli. Come to see your bruder practice?"

"Mhm! I love hearing Lovi sing!"

Gilbert grinned. "Don't we all?"

I smiled back at him, waving at Kiku who was trying to play out something on his drums.

"You gonna go say hi?"

I shook my head. "I have...somewhere to be."

I got the feeling Gilbert wanted to stop me, but I'd already turned around and trotted out of the room, making my way up the stone steps in the stairwell with practised ease. I had become pretty good at avoidance, I mulled. Very good.

Now I just had to figure out what to do about Lovino.


	13. Chapter 13

**# Sing Me To Sleep 13(Itacest) #**

**I've become obsessed with Slipknot. But I refuse to use it in this, so don't worry. A chapter with Slipknot in it...would be a very bad chapter indeed, so no. :/ I just don't know what to do with this word count any more, I swear. Heheheh. The only reason I'm doing a double update is because I'm bored out of my skull, so I'm going to escalate the plot a little.**

**But I seriously don't know what I should do for the band name. Ughugh.**

**NO MORE CHAPTERS UNTIL I GET A NAME!**

### ####

((Lovi))

"So we've got a couple of songs, I guess," I said reluctantly as I sat down next to Kiku. I got a triumphant look from the Prussian across from me as he tried to balance all the food on his tray onto the table. This was ridiculous, and slightly disgusting. We'd gotten together for lunch, or should I say 'watching Gilbert eat fucking everything while the rest of us try not to kick his ass.' Roderich had his nose up in the air, as per usual, and Kiku was eating a rice ball. At least he was eating it with a bit more finesse, I mulled as Gilbert laughed and nearly sprayed potato chips everywhere. A look of distaste filtered onto my face, and I fiddled with the cap on the bottle of iced coffee in my hands.

"So we can play?"

"Ugh."

"_Please_?"

"Fine. If you shut up."

"Ja! Awesome!"

"_But_- do you hear me? If you _ever_ try a stunt like this again, I will kill you and paint your blood so it stains the Prussian flag in your bedroom beyond recognition."

He blinked at my violent threat but shrugged, eating a large handful of grapes. I sighed, resting my chin on the surface of the table. Really, I should be eating something, but I just didn't feel up to it right now. I was just unsettled by the whole business with Feli, but I couldn't just _ask_ him what had happened. I just didn't operate like that, no matter how confident I was feeling at the time. But I was really worried. I barely saw him, and he spent fucking ages sitting in his room. Once I'd gone in there to yell at him, and he was just sitting in the corner. It was...weird as fuck.

I needed to talk to him.

The bell rang loudly and we stood. I decided on the spot I wasn't up to dealing with Gilbert's bullshit during class anyway. A quick scan of the room told me my brother wasn't in the cafeteria, but neither was the potato bastard. That meant he'd have to be somewhere else...if I were him, where would I go? Ah, it didn't matter. I'd talk to him tonight. I always got home faster than Feliciano did anyway, due to my penchant for skipping the last class every day. Which meant if I skipped today, I could be waiting for him when he got home. And I wouldn't let him avoid me again.

"See you bastards later."

"Goodbye, Lovino-san."

"Seeya, Lovi!"

"You know, Lovino, one day you're gonna get caught."

"Whatever."

"Get that stick out of your ass, Roddy!"

### ####

"Fuck it all to hell."

I got home far too early, and looked around the kitchen. The whole house was a damn mess now, because Feliciano wasn't cleaning and I couldn't be shitted doing anything. Oh, life was just fucking _great_. I sighed and pulled my iPod out of my jeans pocket, sliding it into the docking station on the cabinet. After a few moments of fiddling with the damn thing it finally decided to work, and I smirked as I noticed I'd left the volume up on a ridiculous level. I rolled it down (it was better to stay quieter) and it started playing at a reasonable level as I opened the fridge. Hm. I had great taste in music, didn't I? If only Feliciano had a punk streak like I did. But then he wouldn't be _him_, would he?

"Where's my booze?"

Oh, good, there was an open bottle of Dr. Pepper.

My trick as a child when I'd been caught drinking the wine was to hide it in something else, that no one else would drink. In this case, I would drink a bottle of an eight-litre bottle of Dr. Pepper and pour a bottle of wine into it instead. Strangely enough, it didn't taste particularly bad even when you could still taste the soda itself in the wine. Good wine overpowered everything, it seemed. So, I'd gotten into the habit of planting at least one bottle of 'Dr. Pepper' around when the occasion struck me. The funny thing was that no one in my family would drink the soda because they were snobs and didn't deign to drink such ordinary liquids, which meant no one would ever get wise to my tricks. Feliciano had his suspicions, of course, but it wasn't like he told on me, and gramps just assumed he drank too much himself. Which he did, but...not that much. God knows if he'd drunk that much he probably would have died quicker.

I poured myself a large glass and gazed around the kitchen as I took a gulp. Come to think of it, it was the little bastard's turn to cook dinner! Where was my pasta? Just then the song switched on the dock, and I wrinkled my nose at it. I hated this damn song, too. It was catchy as fuck, but...Fall Out Boy was just _way_ too pop for me. I liked the heavier music, the darker stuff. This was probably something Feliciano would listen to, I imagined. He'd like the whole bippity boppity thing that the band had going.

"_Oh God!  
Sean Don  
Fall Out Boy!_

Did-did-did you trip down 12 steps into Malibu, ooh, ooh  
(Malibu, ooh, ooh, ooh,)  
So why the hell is there a light that's keeping us forever, uh, uh, uh  
Bel Air baby, did you get dressed up?  
Pretty pout, pout  
(While you bottomed out out)  
I can't stop it when there's chemicals keeping us together  
Uh, uh, uh, I'm singing

Whoa, how the mighty fall  
The mighty fall  
The mighty fall  
They fall in love  
How the mighty fall  
The mighty fall  
The mighty fall  
Oh, how the mighty fall in love

Your crooked love is just a pyramid scheme  
And I'm dizzy on dreams (and I'm dizzy on dreams)  
But if you ask me two's a whole lot lonelier than one  
B-baby we should have left our love in the gutter where we found it  
(Gutter where we found it)  
'Cause you think, you think your only crime is that you got caught  
I'm singing

Whoa, how the mighty fall  
The mighty fall  
The mighty fall  
They fall in love  
How the mighty fall  
The mighty fall  
The mighty fall  
Oh, how the mighty fall in love

It's getting clear  
You're never coming clean  
So I'll lock you up inside  
And swallow, swallow the key

Yeah. Hello?  
Yeah, I know you said not to call unless I'm dying  
Well, I'm driving and I can't stop staring at my eyelids  
But even though my eyes closed, I still see you  
I just hope that when you see me I'm not see-through  
You know how we do  
Some times I swear, I need a day just for me to lay  
With some T and A,  
But the way we, the way we do is deeper  
Baby straight up chemistry DNA  
Make me wanna give you every dollar out my B of A  
Like, I let her climb on top  
I'm either fuckin' or workin', so the grind don't stop  
They say I got screws missing, well, hell, only when I'm missing you  
And, hell, yeah, I'm a dick, girl, addicted to you

Whoa, how the mighty fall  
The mighty fall  
The mighty fall  
They fall in love  
How the mighty fall  
The mighty fall  
The mighty fall  
Oh how the mighty fall in love."

### ####

((Switch to Feli))

Avoiding Ludwig, admittedly, wasn't going to last forever, no matter how much I wanted it to. But I could drag avoiding a confrontation out as long as was physically possible. Avoiding classes was pretty easy; I just disappeared into the art room to finish a painting I'd been working on. Amazingly, it had been working out quite well for me. If a teacher noticed me they usually wouldn't disturb me, because they liked my painting, I guess. It was nice, the peace, and I took some time to copy Lovino's music to my own iPod so I could learn more about the bands. My favourite at the moment was something Lovino had labelled as 'FOB' but seen as he had downloaded them from the internet I didn't actually know anything about it besides the song names.

"Feliciano? Why aren't you in class?"

I stiffened and was glad the hood I was wearing hid my expression. The paintbrush I was holding dropped from my numb fingers as I recognised the stern voice. The urge to run was strong, and I could barely resist it as the footsteps drew closer. I was terrified of what I had heard when I had visited, and I was terrified of Ludwig himself. I'd joked about his big muscles, but fact was, he could crush me quite easily if I couldn't pull of a good facade. I had to fake it, I had to fake I was fine-

"Vee~ C-ciao, Luddy! How are y-you?"

I slid the hood down to reveal my face, smiling brightly, although I was worried it looked a little strained. Unfortunately, my ears hadn't deceived me when my gaze met Ludwig's and skittered away as I stood up nervously, leaving the paintbrush as it was.

"I am well, thank you," he replied. I remembered hating that formal tone he spoke to me with, like I was a soldier in a war and he was the captain.

"...okay," I said, my voice slightly more subdued than before.

"And what about you, Feliciano? I have not seen you in class."

"I didn't...I didn't feel like it."

"Why? Is something bothering you?"

"...no..."

"Speak more clearly, Feliciano. I cannot hear your voice if you mumble."

"Mi dispiace..."

### ####

Through my haze of liquor and stupidity, I gazed at the clock. Feli should have been home by now, the little twit! I swear to god, if he'd just gone off to play with his little Axis trio I was going to kill him and dump his dead body with Gilbert's. I took another swig from the bottle in my hand (I'd given up on the glass about the time classes had finished) and turned to the window. If he wasn't going to come home and make me pasta, I was just going to have to go and drag him back. I gave a satisfied nod to the window at my logic, and went to go find my jacket. I wanted food, damnit.

Even as I was pulling on my jacket and stumbling out the front door, forgetting to lock the thing, I knew it wasn't just my selfishness acting up. I think, somewhere in my mind, I was worried about Feliciano, and that was what drove me to start the half-jog back to where I assumed he would be. I prayed that he was still at school and not at the potato bastard's. I _had_ to find him. No matter what.

Something felt wrong.

I didn't like it.

### ####

((Feli))

"...Feliciano, why are you limping? Did you hurt yourself?"

"Vee, well...I cooking some pasta, yes! And then I-"

"Really?"

"Of course, Luddy! Why would I lie to you?"


End file.
